A former Campbell High School student died following a fight at an after-prom party in Cobb County early Sunday morning.
According to warrants acquired by Atlanta News First, Carlos Diaz was arrested after allegedly shooting and killing 17-year-old Ashton Hornsby at a home party.
It occurred shortly after midnight at a residence off New MacLand Road near Powder Springs. “We had just gotten to bed a little after midnight and we heard three, three shots go off,” said Sara Ritchey, who lives nearby with her boyfriend. “We both looked at each other and said, ‘Wait a second, is that what I thought it was?'”
Powder Springs and Cobb County police rushed to a shopping complex on New MacLand Road, where first responders reported two to three hundred young adults congregating.
“We saw all these children; they are children! 15, 16, possibly even a little older, all over the place. “And it’s 1:30 in the morning,” Ritchey said.
Officers discovered Hornsby with several gunshot wounds in the nearby West Cobb Plaza parking lot. He was carried to the hospital and died from his injuries. “It’s quite tragic. My heart goes out to both of them. “Both families are going through something I can’t even imagine,” Ritchey added.
According to Cobb County Schools, Hornsby was a former Campbell High student. “We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of a former Campbell student this past weekend,” a spokeswoman told Atlanta News First.
Diaz informed police. Hornsby was known to carry guns, and he had heard earlier in the night that he “wanted to jump him from a previous incident,” according to the warrant.
Diaz told police that he shot Hornsby because he appeared to be reaching for a gun under his shirt as a group began pursuing him. He informed officers that he didn’t see a gun, but he fired two shots at him, striking him in the chest, according to the warrant.
“While this tragedy had nothing to do with our school directly, we have already begun hearing how it is affecting our students,” Campbell High principal Vanessa Watkins said in a statement to parents. “I can’t put into words how much this hurts.”
According to the school, counselors, administrators, and crisis team members are ready to assist pupils in processing this terrible news.
Diaz is charged with felony murder, aggravated assault, and possessing a firearm while committing a crime.
